An Electrical Storm during a Magnetic Storm on April 5, 2010

The problem of disturbance of the atmospheric electric field due to geomagnetic field variations still does not have a comprehensive solution. We analyzed the available data from magnetometers and atmospheric electricity stations during the supersubstorm on April 5, 2010, which developed against the background of a moderate magnetic storm (Dst ~ –80 nT). A comparison of fluxmeter and magnetometer data showed unexpectedly strong variations in the vertical electric field E_z with peak-to-peak variations up to several hundred V/m (an electric storm) during intense magnetic disturbances. Although the E_z disturbance observed around the world roughly coincided with the magnetic storm, the coherence between geomagnetic and electrical variations and electrical variations with each other was low. This event does not fit into modern ideas about disturbances of the atmospheric electric field by ionospheric currents.